cAtatonic -'If' episode 6 *complete*
by randibaby
Summary: Krutiov settles a score and Lee faces the possibility of losing Amanda for good...
1. cAtatonic

(WARNING: This ep is meant for those with a strong AU stomach!)  
  
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King belong to Shoot the Moon Productions   
and Warner Brothers and I'm making absolutely no money for this writing!   
I have used characters and ideas from 'All the World's a Stage'.  
Thank you ele for all your help! (my beta girl!)  
  
  
Episode 6 of 'If': cAtatonic  
  
This is the sixth episode of "If We Had Never Met". 'Six' is considered by   
biblical scholars to be the number of man........  
  
  
  
  
  
Act 1: Just an Ordinary Day  
Setting: 4247 Maplewood Drive, Arlington, Va  
Early March 2002  
  
  
"Mmmmmmmmm", Lee didn't want to stop kissing his beautiful wife as they   
stood in *their* kitchen. He reluctantly allowed Amanda to pull away.   
"Amanda, you said this is your last day at Honeycutt, right?"   
Lee gently guided Amanda's face back toward his as kissed her emphatically.  
  
"Mmmmmmm", Amanda thought 'Boy, is this habit forming!' She was barely able  
to respond, "Yes, this is my, mmmmm, last day at, oh! Lee, if you keep   
doing that, I'm not going to make it to work...."  
  
"*That* is my plan", Lee smiled as he captured Amanda's lips once more  
with his own.  
  
"Lee", Amanda didn't want to cut their intimate moment so short but she had   
promised Mr. Harriman that she would finish that Scarecrow project today.  
"I'll be home as soon as I'm done...."   
  
Lee caressed Amanda's long, soft, mahagony hair and traced the curve of   
her chin with his fingertips, "Promise?"  
  
With a kiss to the tip of her husband's nose, Amanda trailed her hands from   
the front of Lee's shirt to encircle her arms around his shoulders, "I   
promise!" She then gave her husband a knowing look, "You'll be busy with   
the realtor today anyway. How many properties is he going to show you?"  
  
Lee smiled, he was looking forward to finding their new place. A place   
where they could keep horses and the grandkids could romp around. "I'm   
going to see that small ranch over in Arandale, and there's another one in   
McLean...I think he said there were a few others. I should be home by late   
this afternoon." Lee enfolded his wife once more in his embrace, "Amanda, I   
can't wait for us to have a place in the country!"  
  
Amanda smiled as she admired that sparkle in her husband's eyes, "I know Lee,  
but anywhere with you will be wonderful! And besides, I think it's   
pretty terrific that Phillip and Delores said they were interested in buying  
this house. It'll be perfect for them with the new baby."   
  
  
Lee saw *that* look again. He didn't say anything but he recognized that   
look of longing in his wife's eyes. 'In time', he thought 'in time'.  
  
"Hey," Amanda broke through Lee's reverie, "have you thought any more about  
Francine's offer?"  
  
"About taking over as Section Chief? I don't know Amanda, I've never had   
what you would call a desk job." Lee mused, 'I'm not getting any younger   
though'. Lee's body made sure he didn't forget his age. With all those old   
wounds, aches, and pains he would wonder if something didn't hurt!   
"Francine didn't expect an answer right away."  
  
"Hmmm", Amanda leaned her head forward to kiss her husband one last time   
before she left for work. "Have I told you how much I love you today, Mr.   
Stetson?"  
  
Lee teased, "Hmmm? Not in the past 5 minutes, Mrs. Stetson."  
  
"Oh! If I only had more time, I could show you....." Amanda passionately   
lingered her lips over her husband's mouth before tearing herself away.  
  
"Tease!"  
  
"Mmhm, that's right!" Amanda said with a smile. "I'll give you the real goods  
when I get home! Until then, try and eat some breakfast, you know it's the   
most..."   
  
"Important meal of the day, yeah, yeah, I know! I'm not exactly thinking   
about food right now!"  
  
Amanda laughed as she grabbed her coat, "Good! That was *my* plan!"   
With that, she ran out the door.  
  
  
Amanda had just opened her driver side door when, "Oh!"  
  
Lee playfully caught his wife's arm, "Amanda, promise me you'll be home   
early so we can pick up where we left off...." He leaned down to buss Amanda  
one last time before she drove away.  
  
"Mmmm, I promise!" Amanda was touched that Lee showered her with so much  
affection. She shot him a brilliant smile as she backed out of their drive.  
  
As she took off, she noticed that black UAZ parked a few houses down again.  
'Hm! I wonder if we have some new neighbors? That 4x4 has been parked there  
all week...'  
  
*************  
  
Lee reveled in the process of home, make that ranch, hunting! He enjoyed   
looking at each property and determining if there would be enough space   
for the grandchildren and guests but not too much house for Amanda or yard  
for him to tend.   
  
The realtor had just finished showing him the last property when Lee received  
a frantic cellphone call from Francine.  
  
"Lee where's Amanda?"  
  
"Francine, what's with all the excitement? What do you want with Amanda? You  
have another case you want her to work on?"  
  
"Lee, this is serious. Do you know where she is?"  
  
"She's at work! What is this all about anyway?" Lee was getting irritated.  
  
"Lee, do you remember Martinet?"  
  
"Martinet?" Lee's memory was somewhat fuzzy. There were so many cases he  
had worked on for the Agency.  
  
"How about Sergei Krutiov. Ring a bell?"  
  
"Krutiov? The Puppet Master? Francine, that old man has been wasting away   
in prison for how many years now? I thought he was dead!"  
  
"You thought wrong Lee. Sergei escaped over a week ago from Leavenworth's   
outpatient health clinic."  
  
"What? I didn't see that on the news."  
  
"It's all been hush-hush. The feds don't want to blemish their reputation  
during our nation's time of crisis. Anyway, Krutiov's back in town and has  
been working his 'psychological equation' on Martinet's wife. Turns out  
she's just been arrested for attempted murder. Tried to kill her husband.  
She's showing all the classic signs of brainwashing. They've got her down in   
psychoanalysis as we speak..."  
  
"Francine, what does this have to do with Amanda?"  
  
"The Agency received a tip from Krutiov's disgruntled room-mate. Seems that the   
old bird was bragging about escaping to settle a score...."  
  
"With Martinet...and me. Francine, that still doesn't explain why you're  
concerned about Amanda. Krutiov doesn't even know I'm married!"  
  
"I've sent two field agents over to your house just in case.."  
  
"Francine, what are you talking about?"  
  
"Lee, according to Krutiov's old roomate, Sergei is out to destroy you...and  
wipe out Amanda. He found out you were married through some old contact  
at the Russian Embassy. Seems they've been tracking you all week..."  
  
  
****  
  
Lee excused himself from the realtor and jumped into his Viper. All the way   
home his heart was racing. Why was he worried? He knew he'd get home and  
everything would be just fine...  
  
"If anything happened to her!"  
  
No, he wouldn't let his mind go there. 'She's going to be *just* fine!'  
  
About 15 miles from home, Lee decided to call Honeycutt. Just in case.  
Surely Amanda would still be there. Didn't she say she had to finish that  
last project?  
  
A nasal voice answered the telephone, "Honeycutt PC! How may I direct your   
call?"  
  
"Amanda Stetson please."  
  
"One moment sir...."  
  
Lee tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited impatiently to be  
patched through to Amanda's office.   
  
"Hello! This is Amanda Stetson,   
  
  
  
I'm sorry I'm not able to take your call right now..."  
  
"Damn! Voiemail!"  
  
Lee was beginning to worry. Usually he could find the silver lining in every  
situation, but this! This was different. He had seen what Sergei had done  
to other people's minds. He knew Krutiov would enjoy this. Lee beat his   
fist on the steering wheel. "That old man's sick!"  
  
Five more miles to go, Lee pushed the gas pedal to the floor.  
  
thump thump thump  
  
thump thump thump  
  
All was silent except for the pounding of the wheels on the road and the  
pounding of Lee's heart in his chest. "If anything ever happened to Amanda!"  
He couldn't bear the thought.  
  
Lee began to ease up as he pulled unto Maplewood Drive. Everything seemed   
normal. The neighbor's black 4x4 was parked like it always was down the   
street. There were no field agents milling about their property.  
  
Amanda's Wagoneer was parked in the drive. 'Everything must be okay!'  
  
Lee jumped out of the Viper and whistled as he walked through the front door.  
As he jumped down the steps to the living room, he could see Amanda standing  
there looking out the kitchen window. "Hi there!"  
  
Amanda didn't move.  
  
"Amanda?" Lee took a deep breath.  
  
His wife stood there like a statue.  
  
Lee gulped as he placed his hand on Amanda's unyielding shoulder. He slowly  
turned his wife to face him.  
  
Amanda's eyes were open wide but her pupils were fixed and dialated. Lee   
looked directly into his wife's face. She was unresponsive. All he received  
back was a blank stare.  
  
"Amanda!" Lee felt his heart leap to his throat.  
  
It was no use, she was........catatonic.  
  
  
tbc 


	2. Steal, Kill, Destroy

Act 2: Steal, Kill and Destroy  
  
  
  
"The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy..." John 10:10a  
  
  
  
Lee paced the floor incessantly in Forman's office. He didn't like how   
Amanda's evaluation had been taking so long. 'How could this have happened!   
I should have stayed home....she shouldn't have gone to work!'   
  
A million different scenarios ran through his mind only to torment him.  
'If it hadn't been for that whole Candi episode, Amanda would have never gone  
back to Honeycutt....we would have been looking at houses together....'   
  
Nothing eased his mind. 'If she had never met me, none of this would have  
happened!" Lee finally sat down, exhausted, and buried his head in   
his hands. He was beside himself.   
  
***  
  
  
Heavy.  
  
Darkness.  
  
Oppression.  
  
Amanda's mind was in a haze. She could detect that there was someone speaking  
but she couldn't decipher their words. Her mouth was dry and her lips were   
parched. She was so thirsty. She cried out 'Please! I need a drink!' but her  
lips, tongue, and voice wouldn't obey. Her tongue only cleaved to the roof of  
her mouth. She couldn't swallow.  
  
An unfamiliar voice spoke, "Amanda. Amanda Stetson."  
  
  
'Hm?' she responded but her body refused. Her throat constricted. 'I'm  
Amanda!' Why doesn't he hear me? she wondered. Her eyelids felt so heavy...   
  
  
Forman dictated into his voice recorder. "Subject unresponsive. Shows   
no reaction to bright light. Pupils remain dialated. Absence of visual   
tracking in either peripheral field of vision. Does not appear able to speak,  
swallow or move voluntarily. Classic catatonia, possibly drug induced.   
Confer with Dr. McJohn tomorrow. Notify subject's caregiver and continue   
to monitor."  
  
'Monitor? But my name is....Amanda. Why doesn't he hear me!' With every   
ounce of her being, Amanda tried to form one message, one solid thought.  
'Where....is.....Lee?' It was no use. No sound came out.  
  
She was trapped in her own body.  
  
  
Blackness swirled about her and gripped her mind. There was no hope. No life.  
Only despair. And darkness. Amanda could feel the ruthless embrace of fear  
and terror encompass her. She could barely breath.  
  
'Steal, kill, destroy'. She vaugely recalled her father reading that   
to her when she was a child. Wasn't that in the Bible somewhere? If only  
she could remember the rest of that verse...  
  
  
***  
  
Forman walked back into his office to face his subject's caregiver. He spoke  
in his ususal detatched, clinical manner to the distraught man before him.  
  
"Mr. Stetson, your wife exhibits characteristics of catatonia. She is going  
to require 24 hour supervision at this time. As I'm sure you're aware, she's  
currently unable to care for her own needs. She will require total assistance  
with bathing, dressing, toileting and, *when possible*, feeding. She needs  
total care. I've set up an appointment with Dr. McJohn for tomorrow. He   
will determine any chemical presence that may be causing your wife's current  
condition. Do you have insurance? We can set you up with Visiting Nurse and  
we do need to schedule your wife for psychoanalysis."  
  
  
Lee could have belted this goon before him if the nurse hadn't just now   
brought Amanda back into the room.   
  
His heart ached when he saw her. She looked so frail and lost. He still  
couldn't get used to it, Amanda's face showed absolutely no emotion.   
Lee stood up and gently took his wife's hand. No response.   
  
Lee stuffed the pain inside like he had so many times before. 'No! I'm not   
going to let this win!' All his life, he knew only to fight back and make a   
difference. He wasn't going to let his wife down now. 'Krutiov's gonna pay!'  
  
****   
  
  
After Forman finished the Agency evaluation on Amanda, Francine advised Lee  
to take his wife home. This time Francine would send two, more experienced,  
field agents to guard them. If Krutiov or the Russians made any move,   
it would not go undetected.  
  
Francine marvelled at how the two rookies earlier that day could have decided  
that everything was okay. 'Just because they had seen Amanda through the  
window, standing in her kitchen'. This time, she would make sure Lee and   
Amanda would not go without first class security.  
  
****  
  
Rain pelted the windshield as Lee drove Amanda home in silence. This was   
the most grievous task of his life. He had never expected anything to happen  
to his new wife. At least not for years.   
  
Lee stared at the fog hovering over the road before him. He knew his intelligence   
days were over. 'No need to think about Francine's offer any more', Lee decided.  
'Probably doesn't matter anyway,' he mused, 'I'll deserve to be in prison once  
I'm through with Krutiov'.  
  
Lost in his thoughts, Lee didn't notice that familiar black 4x4 following   
them all the way home.  
  
****  
  
  
Lee tried but he couldn't get Amanda to eat. He gave up on dinner himself.  
Although he felt the pangs of hunger, he couldn't even look at food. 'It's been  
one hell of a long day.'  
  
Lee assisted his wife up to the bathroom. She showed no reaction, no response.  
No recognition of his voice, his touch. He quietly helped her wash up for   
bed, then gently put his arms around her neck. He didn't want to, but the doctor  
had instructed him to take off all of Amanda's jewelry. This would prevent   
her from accidently choking or hurting herself.  
  
Lee carressed his wife's face and gave her a gentle smooch before he unclasped  
the heart pendant. He hated this! He left a trail of tears and kisses where  
Amanda's heart necklace had been. Still no response.  
  
Lee looked tenderly into Amanda's eyes. Her pupils were still dialated. 'Ok,   
little lady, time to get you off to bed.' Lee managed to get Amanda into their  
bedroom and changed into some nightclothes. She wasn't resistent but the doctor  
was right. She was unable to do anything for herself. As far as Lee could tell,  
his wife could breath and that was about it.  
  
  
****  
  
Darkness again and terror. Lonliness. Amanda wondered, 'Where is he?'  
  
****  
  
  
Lee came back from his quick shower. When he had left, Amanda had been positioned   
at the end of their bed. Now, she was standing by their bedroom window. 'That's  
strange' he thought.  
  
  
This was the first sign of any voluntary movement on Amanda's part. Lee walked  
over to guide his wife back into bed. As he did, he glanced out the window.  
"Hmm, nothing but the two agents and our neighbor's car." He wondered what  
she had been doing.  
  
Lee tenderly gathered Amanda into his arms and tucked her into bed. He  
positioned himself by her side and lay there with his eyes open. He wondered  
how either of them were going to get any sleep. At least Forman had given him  
something to help if they needed it. Out of sheer exhaustion, Lee finally   
dropped off into a fitful slumber...  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
"He he he he he. Hee hee hee hee hee."  
  
Amanda could swear she heard little demons giggling with delight at her   
despair. She saw their feet on the bedroom carpet as they ran away. She  
couldn't speak, couldn't get up from bed. Her chest felt so heavy, like  
an immovable weight had been permanantly placed there.  
  
Her mind felt like it was being crushed by a vice. She was distraught. She  
felt like Satan himself had come to join the fun.  
  
"Can't help yourself Amanda?", he sneered. "You've always been able to get  
yourself out of jams before? What's your problem? Cat got your tongue? Ha,  
ha, ha, ha, ha!"  
  
Amanda tried to shout back. Her mouth opened but no words formed, there was  
no voice. She could hear Lee breathing beside her but her back was to him.  
She couldn't willingly move her hands or feet to warn him. 'Help me!'   
It was no use. Amanda turned her head toward the pillow. She couldn't  
even cry.  
  
****   
  
  
Running, running, dodging bullets, fleeing, run, run, run....  
  
  
"Agh!" Lee was awoken abruptly out of his dream. "What the!" Amanda's two  
hands were firmly placed around her husband's neck. "Aman-da, ugh!" He didn't  
want to hurt her, didn't want to struggle but she showed unnatural human strength.  
  
Lee grabbed his wife's arms as gently as he could, she wouldn't budge. As  
she continued to strangle him without emotion, Lee fumbled for the syringe  
Forman had given them. He had placed it on the bedstand. 'I don't want to do   
this' he thought but he had no other choice. He grabbed the needle and plunged  
it as gently as possible into his wife's flesh. She began to release her deadly  
hold. The tranquilizer was working.  
  
****   
  
  
Green fields across a fathomless gulf. Her father standing by a gentle  
man who was tending sheep.  
  
Amanda looked over that impassable gulf and longed for that freedom. Her   
father beckoned her over and the Shepherd smiled. Amanda smiled back, she   
finally recognized the Shepherd's voice. Immediately she was translated out  
of darkness and into His marvelous light. Peace at last.  
  
tbc 


	3. Everything's Gonna Be Alright

Act 3: Everything's Gonna be Alright  
  
  
  
  
"but I came that they might have life, and that more abundantly." John 10:10b  
  
  
  
Amanda would have smiled if she had been able to physicaly. She had just  
remembered the last part of that Bible verse her father used to read to her   
when she was a child. Abundant life! She finally understood what that   
meant. She had met the Good Shepherd and found abundant life indeed!   
  
'I wish there was some way I could tell Lee.' Amanda was still trapped inside   
her own body and couldn't speak. She could hear Lee in the bathroom, getting  
ready for their day and he was now coming down the hall. Amanda was smiling  
on the inside. This new day's morning light was streaming onto her face through  
the bedroom window. Somehow she just knew, everything was going to be alright.  
  
  
  
Lee walked into the bedroom and greeted his unresponsive wife. "Good morning,  
Aman-da..." Lee swallowed hard, he couldn't believe it. Was his wife actually  
smiling? It was ever so slight, like the Mona Lisa, but he could perceive a   
smile on Amanda's face. He thought she almost looked happy and...peaceful.  
  
'Those drugs that Sergei or his puppets had certainly given Amanda  
must finally be wearing off...', he thought. For the first time in 24 hours,  
hope began to spring back into the heart of one Lee Stetson.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Lee dropped Amanda off at the Agency clinic to go rounds with the pyschoanalyist.  
Francine had assured him that she would keep a careful eye on his wife the  
whole time until Lee was able to pick her up for the appointment with McJohn.  
That was good. Lee had some work to do.  
  
  
  
'I've got till four o'clock', Lee said to himself. The appointment with McJohn  
had to be rescheduled and would now take place at the hospital instead of  
the Agency. McJohn was part of the N.E.S.T. and was currently assisting in a  
fellow agent's surgery at Galilee General. Amanda would see McJohn there at   
4:30 for the blood chemical tests.  
  
  
As Lee jumped into the Viper, he headed out toward Honeycutt. He had found  
that answering machine message from a 'Mr. Oz' this morning and he figured Oz  
must have called the house last night when he had been in the shower. Ernie  
at the Agency lab was going to look over the tape and determine how Oz  
had been able to plant the subliminal message that triggered Amanda's potentially   
lethal action.  
  
Lee hurried, "I only have so much time". He parked at a parking garage off  
12th, near Honeycutt. It was Saturday and they were closed but Lee would  
take care of that. He quietly broke into Honeycutt's lobby and wandered a   
few minutes until he found what used to be Amanda's office.   
  
Since it had been her last day yesterday, everything was cleared out. Lee   
wandered a bit more until he found the office for 'Mr. A.J. Harriman'. To his  
delight, Harriman had the 'Scarecrow' account report sitting right on top of  
his desk. Lee took down Oz's address and headed out for Lincoln Park.  
  
Lee smiled as he drove, 'Time for Scarecrow to meet the man behind the green  
curtain, Mr. Oz!'  
  
  
****  
  
When Lee finally pulled up to Oz's residence in Lincoln Park, he was met by  
police cars and an ambulance. Lee stepped out of the Viper and asked one  
of the officers, "What's going on here?"  
  
"Old man just died. His neighbor heard him yelling, like he was fighting  
with someone. When his neighbor came over, all she found was his dead body."  
  
Lee flashed his Agency badge and made his way into Oz's house. Thankfully,   
none of the other detectives seemed to mind. The house was nice enough,  
Oz had lived well. Lee wasn't sure what he was looking for, he searched  
through some papers on Oz's desk and that's when he saw documents with   
Russian lettering.  
  
That was enough for him. He knew Oz was connected to Krutiov somehow.  
Even if he had only been a puppet.  
  
Something inside Lee urged him to go back home. He didn't know why but for  
some reason, he obeyed that voice. As he made his way across town toward  
Arlington, he thought about Amanda. 'Hope she's doing alright'. Lee hoped   
the psychiatrist would be able to break Krutiov's criminal hold on his wife's  
mind.   
  
When Lee finally drove down Maplewood, he noticed the neighbor's 4x4. For   
the first time, he realized that it was a Russian made UAZ. Lee swallowed   
hard. That voice inside urged him to go look into the car.   
  
As he walked over, the two agents guarding his house followed him. Lee   
peered into the passenger side window of the UAZ. There, on the front seat,  
lay a book titled in Russian *Rape of the Mind*.  
  
"Check this out for me!" Lee yelled back to the field agents. He was certain  
that the black UAZ belonged to Krutiov's contact from the Russian Embassy.  
Lee could let the field agents investigate, he had just enough time to pick  
up Amanda and take her to the hospital for her appoinment with McJohn.   
  
The only other thing left to do was to find Krutiov.  
  
tbc 


	4. The Puppet Master

Act 4: The Puppet Master  
  
  
  
"Come this way sir."   
  
Lee felt like he was being led by Nurse Ratchet.   
  
"Stand here."  
  
Lee didn't want to disobey, he was afraid of the consequences. Timidly, he  
began, "I just wanted to see how my wife is doing. Dr. McJohn is doing some  
blood tests..."  
  
"Don't argue with me Mr. Stetson..."  
  
Lee thought 'I didn't think I was arguing!'  
  
"No visitors are allowed back beyond this point! Are you a patient here?"  
  
Lee replied, "No, I.."  
  
"That's right! *You* are NOT a patient. *You* are a *visitor* and NO visitors  
are allowed beyond this point. *You* can wait right here."  
  
Lee rolled his eyes as the ever so charming nurse walked away. He knew they  
weren't all like that but, somehow, he always ended up with the one who was   
a stickler for obeying *The Rules*.  
  
Once Lee saw the coast was clear, he sneaked past the 'Do not enter' sign. It  
didn't take long for him to find Amanda's examination room.  
  
Amanda sat there, without emotion, as the doctor poked and prodded. Electrodes  
were placed on her finger, chest and forehead. Without turning around, Dr.   
McJohn said, "You know, you're not supposed to be in this section of the   
building Mr. Stetson."  
  
Lee was surprised he had been detected. McJohn hadn't even seen him! "How  
did you know..."  
  
McJohn finally turned around. "Your wife's vitals. I knew you were there  
because her pulse quickened and she took a deeper breath."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Even though Amanda can't communicate with us now, I believe she can  
understand every word that we say. Although she can't speak, her body  
speaks for her. Before you came, all her vitals were steady." McJohn showed  
Lee the machine. "As soon as you walked in, her vitals changed."  
  
"That's my girl!" Lee smiled at his wife and gave her a smooch on the cheek.  
  
"Lee, could I speak with you for a moment?"  
  
Lee didn't like the way McJohn said that. "Sure, okay." Lee shot one more  
smile at Amanda and walked down the hallway with McJohn.  
  
"Lee, your wife has been through a lot. We won't know the results from the   
blood tests for a while. I received a preliminary report from the psychiatrist.  
She believes that the catatonia was most likely drug induced. The blood tests   
may confirm that. However, until these chemicals dissipate, your wife will  
continue to require total assistance. She should begin to regain her  
speech and swallowing and voluntary functions within a week, *if* this was   
drug induced."  
  
Lee was overjoyed. His Amanda was on her way to recovery!  
  
McJohn led Lee back to Amanda's examination room.  
  
"What?"  
  
Lee's heart sank, Amanda was gone!  
  
Lee burst through the double doors and sped out into the hallway. He arrived  
just in time to see Krutiov holding his wife's arm as the elevator doors closed.  
Lee ran up to the elevator. Krutiov was going up. Lee was on the 7th floor  
as it was and he shouted "He's taking her to the roof!"  
  
Nurses and patients dodged out of Lee's way as he raced down the hallway  
and burst through the door for the stairs. He practically flew up the two  
flights of steps leading to the roof. Lee shouldered his way through the barred door.  
There, on the roof, was Krutiov bracing Amanda with his one hand and holding   
a strange pellet gun in the other. The gun was pointed at Amanda's thigh.  
  
"Welcome Scarecrow! Has it really been over 15 years?" Sergei jibed.  
  
"Look old man! Let her go! She has nothing to do with this! If you have   
a score to settle, settle it with me!"   
  
Krutiov just smirked. "Ah, but my dear man. She has everything to do with  
it. She's your wife. Someone you love. And you are going to watch her die!"  
Sergei then shot a pellet into Amanda's thigh. She didn't flinch or blink.  
She was still catatonic.  
  
Lee lunged for the old man but Krutiov quickly leaped to the edge of the roof  
and shouted, "I won't give you the satisfaction Stetson! You can't kill me!  
I'm already dead!" And with that, Krutiov dove head first off the roof and  
plunged nine floors to his death.   
  
Lee didn't waste anytime. He scooped Amanda up in his arms and rushed her   
back down the steps. He was met by McJohn. "She's been shot!"  
  
McJohn was glad the N.E.S.T. team was still there. "Call code red, stat!"  
The nurse did as Dr. McJohn instructed.  
  
***  
  
After what seemed like hours, Dr. McJohn finally met Lee in the waiting room.  
  
"Is she gonna be ok Doc?" Lee waited cautiously for the answer.  
  
"Lee, Krutiov injected your wife with a 'poison pellet' very similar to the   
one the Bulgarians used on Markov in '79."  
  
"No! That's five-hundred times more lethal than cyanide. Markov died!"  
  
This was the worst part of McJohn's job, "I'm sorry Lee, but you're right.   
Your wife has 24 hours......"  
  
tbc 


	5. 24 hours

Act 5: 24 hours  
  
  
  
Lee held back his emotions as he kissed his wife's motionless hand. He had  
been sitting by the side of her hospital bed for the past twenty hours. His  
chair was situated among the breathing machine, heart monitor, and IV drip.   
  
A nurse casually walked in to check Amanda's vitals.  
  
"Her blood pressure is 160 Mr. Stetson", the nurse said in a matter-of-fact  
manner.   
  
Lee nodded as the nurse left and looked back toward his wife's face. Her eyes  
were darting back and forth behind her closed lids. Lee wondered, 'What is   
she seeing?'  
  
***  
  
Amanda took a deep breath of the cool, fresh air. Joy overwhelmed her and  
her body felt weightless! She wondered why she had taken things so serious  
for so much of her life.  
  
A light shone brightly in the distance and Amanda ran toward it. She knew she  
had to get to that light!  
  
***  
  
Dr. McJohn entered Amanda's room and placed a kind hand on Lee's shoulder.  
"Is there anything we can do? Anyone we need to call?"  
  
'Call!' Lee thought, 'I don't want to call anyone! How can I face her boys,   
her mother?' With as much self-control as Lee could muster, he said "Not yet  
Doc, thanks though."  
  
McJohn pulled up a chair and sat down. He spoke gently to the man before  
him. "Lee, you know that the antibiotics are useless at this point. Krutiov's  
poison pellet is causing Amanda's red blood cells to attack other parts of  
her body. Initially, she had a high fever, but now her blood pressure and  
temperature are plummeting."  
  
Lee nodded, he didn't want to hear what came next.  
  
McJohn's eyes were moist as he whispered to Lee, "Death will come due to an  
electromagnetic imbalance. I'm sorry Lee, there's nothing we can do except  
keep your wife comfortable."  
  
Lee looked away from McJohn. He didn't want anyone to see his tears. He   
just wanted to be alone! Alone with Amanda.  
  
McJohn sensed Lee's need and quietly stood up. Before he walked away, he   
tenderly brushed Amanda's shoulder with his hand. He did *not* want to see  
this patient die.  
  
Lee was glad when McJohn finally left.   
  
'Why, why, why?' he yelled to the air. He didn't get an answer.   
  
***  
  
  
Amanda kept running toward the light, past the flowers and trees that had  
such intense color. Light appeared to explode from the inside of each celestial  
object.  
  
As she ran joyously ahead, she suddenly bumped into a barrier. It was invisible,   
but it was a barrier just the same.  
  
***  
  
"Mr. Stetson? Mr. Stetson?"   
  
A nurse nudged Lee on the shoulder. He hadn't realized that he had fallen   
asleep in the chair next to Amanda's bed.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, but we need to excuse you for a moment. We need to change   
your wife's gown."  
  
Lee could see that Amanda had become sick over the front of her gown and   
needed to be changed. He didn't think she'd have anything in her stomach  
to empty since she hadn't eaten in almost two days. McJohn had warned him  
that this was a part of the septicemia kicking in.  
  
Lee left Amanda's room and walked blindly down the hall. He heard staff  
laughing and he wanted to yell, 'How can you laugh at a time like this!'  
  
He rubbed his face with his hands and took off for a short walk. It wasn't  
long until he happened upon a pay-phone. Lee had been thinking about calling  
*her*. The one woman he knew who could help him at a time like this.  
  
Lee stopped and dialed her number. He nervously waited and almost hung up  
before her calm voice finally said "Hello?"  
  
"Uh, yes, hello, this is Lee Stetson..."  
  
"Lee ? Oh, yes! I remember you. You came to Billy's funeral...."  
  
"Uh, yes. Jeanie, I can't tell you how many times I think of you and Billy.  
Everytime I drive by the Pentagon..."  
  
"I know Lee. I was so glad Billy was able to call me from his cell phone   
that day before the plane..."   
  
"Uh, yeah" Lee thought, 'Jeanie Melrose is one heck of a strong woman!'  
  
"Lee, it's so nice to hear your voice. What can I do for you?"  
  
Lee couldn't believe it. Here was a woman who had lost her husband during  
the nation's tragedy and she was asking if she could do anything for him!  
  
"Well, I got married recently..."  
  
"Oh! You're married, congratulations!"  
  
"No, uh, under any other circumstances I'd thank you but....this is serious..."  
  
Jeanie could tell by the tone of Lee's voice that this was very serious.   
"Lee, what's going on?"  
  
Lee told Jeanie everything he could about the past two days without compromising  
Agency regulations. Jeanie kindly listened and even offered to pray.  
  
Lee thought 'Pray! That's ridiculous! God! Yeah right! How could some loving  
God take my parents, take Dorothy, and now take my wife!' God did not exist  
as far as Lee Stetson was concerned.  
  
After Jeanie prayed, he had to admit, he felt better. He felt like a weight  
had lifted. Lee mused, 'Maybe there is a God afterall..'  
  
  
  
tag comin'! 


	6. Tag: Supernatural

Tag: Supernatural  
  
  
  
  
Lee sat on the side of Amanda's bed now, cradling his motionless wife in   
his arms. Her body was stone cold and her breathing was shallow and labored.  
It was just now 24 hours since Krutiov had so cruelly commited his vile deed.  
  
***  
  
  
Every worry was gone. Amanda cherished the vivid colors and the light.  
She saw her father up ahead, walking by a stream. She had never seen him  
so happy! She began to run forward to catch up to her father, "I must run..."  
  
Amanda ran with all her strength! She was weightless! "I'm almost there   
Dad!"  
  
From a great distance, someone was calling her name. That voice sounded   
familiar. Amanda decided to ignore it. She had to go on!  
  
Over and over that voice called her name. No matter how much she tried   
to ignore it, that voice wouldn't go away. Something in that voice was pulling  
her back. "I don't want that weight!" Amanda cried. That earthly weight!  
  
Amanda ran on but she was beginning to recognize that voice. There was *love*  
in that voice. There was pulling power in that love.  
  
Amanda's father had not yet seen her. She stared longingly at him, wanting to  
stand beside him by that stream. Her father continued to walk along. That's  
when Amanda knew. She had to go back. Someone on earth loved her and still  
needed her.   
  
The light wasn't yet for Amanda and she knew it. "Dad! You'll wait for me,  
won't you?"  
  
The weight, that earthly weight, the light was fading.....  
  
****  
  
  
"Amanda, Amanda, you've got to come back to me...Amanda, wherever you are,  
I love you! You've got to listen to me!"  
  
Lee could feel the life slipping away from his wife's body. It was then that  
he finally dropped his head and said, "God, I know I've fought against You  
because I didn't understand You. I didn't understand why You let my parents   
and Dorothy die. The only thing I do understand is that You gave me love  
for this woman. What do I do now?" Lee's voice broke.  
  
The room was quiet. Lee whispered, "God, there's nothing more I can  
do for Amanda, nothing. Except offer You this love that You gave me for her.  
I, I offer our lives to You...." Lee's voice was hoarse with emotion, "Do   
with us as You please..." Lee buried his head on Amanda's shoulder.  
  
Warmth. Warmth began to flow into Amanda's body. The warmth flowed from the  
top of her head and down, down to her nose, her lips, her neck..Down...Her eyes  
fluttered open. Objects in the room came into focus. She could see Lee's  
head buried in her shoulder. She could move her fingers now.  
  
Amanda crept her hand along the sheet until her hand reached Lee's fingers and  
encircled them in her own.  
  
Lee looked up to meet her gaze.  
  
"Amanda!"  
  
  
  
  
  
end ep 6  
  
  
The Tag was written almost verbatim from Catherine Marshall's story *Christy*.  
*Christy* is the true story of Catherine's mother and this is her mother's  
true story of a near death experience. 


End file.
